Cassette tape recorder with detachable coupling to radio

Abstract

A coupling device comprises a pair of coupling channels formed in the both lateral sides of a compact cassette tape recorder, and a pair of rails formed on a part of a radio set for engagement with the channels, allowing the cassette tape recorder to be detachably coupled with the radio set. When not coupled, apertures provided in the tape recorder for connection terminals are covered by a coverplate, which uncovers these apertures by a sliding movement as the tape recorder is coupled with the radio set, thus enabling an electrical connection with the latter. The compact tape recorder can be detachably coupled with an accessory unit such as a tuner, a microphone pre-amplifier or the like by a single mounting threaded stud.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A coupling device for cassette tape recorder comprising a pair of coupling channels formed in both lateral sidewalls of a cassette tape recorder, a pair of rails formed on a coupling surface of radio set and adapted to engage the coupling channels for detachably mounting the tape recorder on the coupling surface of the radio set, a plurality of apertures formed in a bottom surface of the tape recorder, a plurality of socket contacts disposed within the respective apertures and connected with an electrical circuit of the tape recorder, a plurality of pin contacts mounted on an insulating member secured to the coupling surface of the radio set so as to extend between the pair of rails and adapted to be brought into electrical contact with the socket contacts to provide an electrical connection between an electrical circuit of the radio set and that of the tape recorder when the latter is coupled with the radio set, a coverplate having a plurality of openings extending therethrough and disposed for a sliding movement along the bottom surface of the tape recorder, the openings in the coverplate being disposed in a manner corresponding to the arrangement of the apertures in the bottom surface of the tape recorder, and a rockable pawl member pivotally mounted within the tape recorder and having a free end which engages the coverplate and a cam edge which projects into one of the coupling channels, means biasing the pawl member to urge its cam edge to project into the coupling channel and to move the coverplate to a position in which the openings therein are misaligned with the apertures to thereby substantially conceal the socket contacts, the cam edge being engaged and driven by one of the rails to rock the pawl member against the force of the bias means so that the coverplate is moved to a position in which the openings therein are aligned with the apertures when the tape recorder is physically coupled with the radio set. 
     
     
       2. A coupling device according to claim 1 in which each of the plurality of pin contacts are formed by an electrically conductive pin which is resiliently mounted on the insulating member. 
     
     
       3. A coupling device according to claim 1 in which each of the plurality of socket contacts comprises an electrically conductive terminal secured to a terminal board. 
     
     
       4. A coupling device according to claim 1 in which the rockable pawl member is bias means a torsion spring. 
     
     
       5. A coupling device according to claim 1 in which the cam edge is formed by a lateral extension which is provided intermediate the length of the pawl member.